No Way Jose's in Federal Hill to rebrand

No Way Jose Cafe, a Federal Hill staple known for its cheap Natural Light and free chips and salsa, is rebranding after nearly 20 years in business.

The bar will retire its name and Tex-Mex menu at the end of this week and unveil a new concept later this month, general manager Don Messinese said.

No Way Jose's will hold a retirement party this weekend to mark the shift. The restaurant's bay windows and wooden sign will be auctioned off as part of the event.

Messinese said the restaurant's new focus will be on simple, "more approachable" food and drinks while keeping a "bar atmosphere." The menu will not be dominated by any one kind of cuisine, he said.

"We're looking to bring something new and exciting to the area that doesn't currently exist," he said. "Every day of the week you can go to a bar or restaurant in Federal Hill and find a taco feature, some even within a rock's throw from us. So we're leaving the saturation of the taco game and giving people a new reason to consider us as a place to come eat delicious food."

The owners of Blue Agave, a neighboring Mexican restaurant in Federal Hill, purchased No Way Jose's early last year.

Messinese said the change in concept at No Way Jose's was not sparked by business troubles.

"Business is strong; we're just looking to do something a little more different," he said.

The restaurant, located at 38 E. Cross Street, has undergone renovations in the past six months. Changes include installing new bathrooms on the first floor, renovating a second floor space for parties and events, removing a stairwell to create more interior space and installing garage door-style windows that open out onto Cross Street when the weather is nice.

Messinese said he's also looking to expand the restaurant's catering business.

The restaurant will be closed early next week to make the transition, with plans to open by Thursday under the new brand.

Though he knows regular patrons might feel a sense of nostalgia about the impending change, Messinese said the restaurant's core will not be changed.

"We're not going to lose the soul of Jose's," he said. "That's still going to be the beating heart of the restaurant."